Argylle: Mark Kermode’s spyfy movie review (video).
Our man-of-many-movies, Mark Kermode, sits down for the latest dish served up from Matthew Vaughn’s cinematic kitchen, Argylle, which flips the spy genre on its head with a sprinkle of cheek and a dollop of whimsy, crafting a narrative so twisted, it makes a pretzel look straight. The film, penned by Jason Fuchs, parades an ensemble cast so star-studded, it’s as if the Hollywood Walk of Fame took a detour through the set. Imagine Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Sam Rockwell leading a charge accompanied by the likes of Bryan Cranston and Dua Lipa, with Samuel L. Jackson throwing punches in the mix. Yes, it’s that kind of party.
Argylle introduces us to Elly Conway, portrayed by Howard, a reclusive author whose spy novels are so on the nose, they’ve attracted the wrong kind of attention. Enter Aidan (Rockwell), a real-life spy who pulls Elly from the pages of her book into a whirlwind of espionage that’s as real as it gets. The plot thickens faster than a good béchamel, taking our duo from the cozy confines of a train to the grandeur of London in search of a mythical “Masterkey”, all while dodging baddies with a penchant for dramatics.
Vaughn, known for his ability to blend action with a certain irreverent charm, seems to have attempted a hat trick with Argylle. The film dashes from one exotic locale to another, packing punches, both literal and figurative, but occasionally stumbles over its own ambition. Critics, such as the sharp-tongued Peter Bradshaw, likened the spectacle to a “giant self-satisfied smirk”, suggesting that perhaps Vaughn’s recipe was a tad overseasoned this time around.
Yet, where Argylle might falter in coherence, it compensates with action sequences choreographed with the finesse of a ballet dancer wielding a machine gun—courtesy of the late, great Brad Allan—and a chemistry between Howard and Rockwell that’s as effervescent as a freshly popped bottle of champagne. The inclusion of Claudia Schiffer’s cat, Chip, hitting his marks better than some A-listers, adds to the film’s quirky charm.
The narrative, as labyrinthine as it is, serves up a dish best described as a Bond film seen through a kaleidoscope. With villains as shadowy as they come and plot twists that might leave you needing a map, Argylle keeps you guessing until the credits roll. And then, just when you think you’ve caught your breath, a mid-credits scene throws a curveball that might just have you questioning reality itself. Despite its attempts to weave a tapestry of intrigue and adventure, Argylle occasionally feels like it’s chasing its own tail, much like Elly’s pet cat. The film tries earnestly to straddle the realms of action and comedy, with a side of romance, yet sometimes ends up sprawled in the no man’s land between.
For aficionados of SFcrowsnest, where the extraordinary is the bread and butter, Argylle offers an escapade that’s as bewildering as it is entertaining. It’s a cinematic concoction that, while not without its faults, promises a ride as unpredictable as a British summer. Whether it’s the allure of a globe-trotting adventure or the charm of its illustrious cast that draws you in, Argylle is, at the very least, a testament to Vaughn’s unwavering ambition to keep the spy genre both shaken and stirred. So, grab your popcorn (and maybe a notebook to keep track of the twists) and dive into a spy caper that redefines the meaning of “spy-fi” with a wink and a nudge.
